Alongside Celebration Of New Treaty In Marrakesh, Blind People Demonstrate For Jobs 27/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment As World Intellectual Property Organization delegates were giving their closing statements after today’s adoption of the Marrakesh treaty for the blind that some called a miracle, just outside the door of the Palais des Congrès, a large group of blind people was demonstrating to bring attention to their need for employment.
Copyright Levies Can Be Imposed On Sale Of Printers, Computers, EU High Court Rules 27/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments Governments can impose copyright levies on sales of printers and computers, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said in a 27 June ruling.
Interview With WIPO Director General Francis Gurry On New WIPO Treaty 27/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment With this week’s agreement in Marrakesh, Morocco on an international treaty to ease cross-border access for the blind to copyrighted books, the UN World Intellectual Property Organization has completed its second treaty in the past 12 months – with more potentially on the way. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry sat down with Intellectual Property Watch’s Catherine Saez in Morocco hours after the treaty text was agreed by WIPO members to discuss what it means.
Miracle à Marrakech: un traité “historique” pour les déficients visuels 27/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 4 Comments Marrakech, Maroc – L’ambiance était à la fête au Palais des Congrès de Marrakech pour acclamer le succès des négociateurs de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Propriété Intellectuelle dans leur tentative de produire un projet de texte consensuel. Après un début de semaine difficile, les efforts des délégués ont été couronnés de succès et les couloirs du Palais des Congrès résonnaient le 25 juin de clameurs joyeuses et d’éloges. Des larmes de joies étaient versées tandis que cette victoire était collectivement acclamée comme un accord historique. Les déficients visuels et la société civile qui les soutenait étaient euphoriques, certains se déclarant dépassés par l’ampleur de la réussite.
WIPO Treaty For The Blind Shows That Transparency Can Work (And Is Necessary) 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Prof. Sean Flynn writes that the transparency in the breakthrough agreement on an international treaty for the visually impaired in Morocco is a lesson for trade negotiators who encounter difficulties after keeping trade agreement texts secret until negotiations are over, such as in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).
Infojustice.org: UN Consumer Guidelines Could Be Updated For Digital Rights, A2K 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Infojustice.org reports: “Over the last three years a global network of consumer activists has been crafting a set of amendments to an influential global instrument, the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection, that could provide a powerful global standard for digital rights and access to knowledge. UNCTAD agreed to their review and set a date – July 11 and 12 – at which to consider proposed amendments.”
Miracle In Marrakesh: “Historic” Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed 26/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 38 Comments Marrakesh, Morocco – The mood was one of celebration at the Marrakesh Palais des Congrès to greet the success of World Intellectual Property Organization negotiators in their attempt to produce a draft treaty text showing consensus. After a difficult start to the week, delegates achieved success and the corridors of the conference centre echoed with laughter and congratulations. Tears of joy were shed as most celebrated this as an historic agreement. Visually impaired people and civil society supporting them were ecstatic, some said overwhelmed.
Publishers Urge European Commission To Reject Google’s Competition Proposal 26/06/2013 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Hundreds of European publishers have issued a call for the European Commission to reject draft remedies put forward by Google to settle concerns about market dominance in web searching and search advertising.
Expectations High As End Of Substantive Negotiations Near For Blind Treaty Negotiators 25/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Marrakesh, Morocco – Today is the day for World Intellectual Property Organization negotiators to find consensus on longstanding issues and come up with language that can satisfy all countries’ concerns on a treaty, the first of its kind, that would provide copyright exceptions for visually impaired people to have wider access to books worldwide.
Voices Of The Blind In Marrakesh Hope To Carry A Long Way 25/06/2013 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Marrakesh, Morocco – Yesterday, under a scorching sun, the World Blind Union organised an event to raise awareness about the negotiations taking place inside the Marrakesh Palais des Congrès. Behind them, in the building, negotiators have been at work for a week in an effort to agree and adopt a treaty to provide visually impaired people with a broader access to books.